Tape dispenser and creaser



June 20, 196 7 J. MCLAUGHLIN TAPE DISPENSER AND CREASER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 8, 1964 June 20, 1967 J. M LAUGHLI N 3,326,738

TAPE DISPENSER AND CREASER Filed April 8, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR United States Patent 3,326,738 TAPE DISPENSER AND CREASER Jack McLaughlin, 1213 S. Montreal, Dallas, Tex. 75208 Filed Apr. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 358,351 6 Claims. (Cl. 156-585) Many modern houses and other buildings presently are constructed with walls and ceilings which are covered with sheet rock or other dry wall sheet board.

While constructing the rooms of a house standard size sheets of approved wall board material is conventionally secured to previously erected studs and/or joists. Normally the standard size of the wall board sheets is 4 by 8 feet, and obviously there will be many cracks in the wall where the edges of the wall boards come together. There also will be a definite crack or crease at the angle formed between the horizontal ceiling and the vertical wall boards. Obviously there also will be a right angle joint at each corner of the room being constructed.

The main object of my invention is to provide a dispenser and creaser which may be conveniently carried by a construction worker so that he may have any desired amount of tape handy for use in the matter of sealing the cracks that invariably appear as a room is constructed.

A further object is to provide a tape dispenser which Will maintain a roll of tape properly wound together and not permit the same to become accidentally unrolled and unruly.

Another object is to provide a tape dispenser which will crease the tape as it is pulled generally upwardly from a roll.

An even further object of my invention is to provide a dispenser that will hold a roll of tape in position to be unreeled and creased, and at the same time hold a container for needed plaster or mud.

A still further object is to provide a tape dispenser adapted to pay out and crease a tape for application to cracks or joints in a plaster board room, the dispenser having a mud pan removable only after purposeful release.

Other objects will subsequently become apparent as they are found to reside in the more detailed description of my invention which will unfold by a study of the following specification, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation mostly in perspective,

FIGURE 2 is a view in perspective viewed from the side of the dispenser opposite to that disclosed in FIG- URE 1, and having the roll of tape removed, and

FIGURE 3 is a view in perspective viewed from the side disclosed in FIGURE 1, but with the tape removed.

Normally an operator who is engaged in finishing a room of modern construction wears a pair of shoe jacks which raise his feet, and his entire body, from fourteen to eighteen inches above the floor so that he can conveniently reach the corner formed between the walls and the ceiling. In order to attend to the needful construction operation he will affix to his person one of my tape dispensers. Having done that he can easily pull from the roll of tape that it holds any amount of tape that may be needed to seal the crack or joint that appears on the wall and/or ceiling, or at the joint where the wall and ceiling meet.

The operator is provided with a suitable belt around his waist. My dispenser may be easily suspended from the belt by hooking the bent over portion 10 of the flat elongated plate 12 over the belt. Suitably attached to the plate 12, at the end thereof remote from the bent over portion 10, I attach a downwardly and outwardly extending bracket 14 by means of a conventional nut and bolt 16.

3,326,738 Patented June 20, 1967 At the end of the bracket 14 near the nut and bolt 16 I provide a bent over or hooked portion 18. The hooked por tion 18 is adapted to engage an edge portion of a conventional plaster or mud pan 20. At the end of the bracket 14 remote from the hooked portion 18 I provide an upwardly bent portion 22 having a thumb receiving foot 24. Only by the application of downward pressure on the foot 24 can the bracket 14 be flexed enough to release the mud pan that is held thereby. It will be noted by a study of FIGURES 1 and 2 that the bracket 14 may be attached to the other side of the dispenser rather than to the plate 12.

The roll of tape 26 is conventional in form and is scored lengthwise through its approximate center. The roll is suitably supported by the bracket 28 which passes through the core of the roll and is secured to the plate 12 by a suitable nut and bolt. At the end of the bracket 28 remote from its attachment to the plate 12 I provide a notch 30, the purpose of which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The bracket 32 is approximately as long as the width of the tape roll 26. The end portion 34 of the bracket 32 is bent upwardly and is suitably secured to the plate 12. The other end of the bracket 32 is bent upwardly, is parallel to portion 34, and forms the element 36. A suitable rod 38 is spaced between the portions 34 and 36 and forms a guide which is adapted to urge an end of the tape away from the main roll.

Holes 40 and 42 are provided in the portions 34 and 36, respectively, of the bracket 32 so that the ends of the heavy gage high carbon steel Wire forming the goose-like tape guide 44 may be inserted. The breast-like portion of guide bears against, and is urged upwardly by, the rod 46 which is attached to a spring 48, the other end of which is secured to the bracket 32. The end of the tape guide 44 is provided with a relatively sharp and elongated end portion 50 which is folded back to provide two approximately parallel heavy gage wire elements to force the tape from the roll 26 to be folded upon itself, as it is clearly shown in FIGURE 1.

In order to properly maintain the tape roll 26 in the desired position I provide a heavy gage wire 52 of high carbon steel. An end of the wire 52 is bent to form a loop 54 which is to become engaged in a hole in the portion 36 of the bracket 32. The wire 52 extends upwardly from the portion 36 of the bracket 32, is engaged in the notch 30, and is bent at a right angle to extend across and over the tape roll 26. The portion 56 of the wire 52 is equal in length to the width of the roll 26, and at its end is bent over to form a hook 58 which is adapted to become engaged in a suitable hole 60 at the point of fold between the portion 10 and the plate 12.

After the tape roll 26 has been placed in position over the bracket 28, the wire 52 will be snapped into the position in which it is shown in the figures. With the roll 26 thus held it will be frictionally engaged so that it will not become undesirably loosened or unrolled.

It will be understood that in all of the figures I have shown my tape dispenser for use by a right-handed operator. By removing the tape guide 44 and the spring 48, and replacing them after turning them the dispenser will be ready for use by a left-handed operator.

While it is not essential for the successful use of my tape dispenser, I provide a loop 62 at the end of the plate 12 remote from the bent portion 10 which is adapted to engage the operators belt. This loop is provided so that a suitable cord may be inserted therethrough and tied around the operators leg to hold the dispenser in a steady position while the tape is being removed therefrom.

I claim:

1. In a tape dispenser, the combination of a supporting plate, a hook at one end of said plate, a transversely extending U-shaped bracket near the other end of said plate, a tape roll, a tape roll supporting bracket extending transversely from said plate and spaced-apart from the said first mentioned bracket, a spring urged and curved tape guide hinged to said U-shaped bracket, and a narrow reverse fold at one end of the said curved guide.

2. In a tape dispenser, the combination of a supporting plate, one end of said plate being bent over upon itself, a transversely extending bracket secured near the other end of said plate, an upwardly extending leg on said bracket remote from the said plate, a tape roll, a tape roll supporting bracket secured to said plate and spaced apart from said first mentioned bracket, a tape guide hinged to the said first mentioned bracket, and spring means secured to said bracket urging the said guide toward the tape roll.

3. In a tape dispenser, the combination of a supporting plate, one end of said plate being bent over upon itself to form a hook, a substantially U-shaped bracket secured to the said plate and extending transversely therefrom, a tape roll, a tape roll supporting bracket secured to said plate in spaced-apart and parallel relationship with the said first mentioned bracket, a tape guide hingedly secured to the said U-shaped bracket, and spring means urging the said guide toward the tape roll.

4. In a tape dispenser, the combination of a supporting plate, one end of said plate being bent over upon itself to form a hook, a substantially U-shaped bracket secured to the said plate and extending transversely therefrom, a tape roll, a tape roll supporting bracket secured to said plate in spaced-apart and parallel relationship with the 4 said first mentioned bracket, a curved guide hinged to said U-shaped bracket, and spring means urging the said guide toward the tape roll.

5. In a tape dispenser, the combination of a supporting plate, one end of said plate being bent over upon itself to form a hook, a substantially U-shaped bracket secured to the said plate and extending transversely therefrom, a tape roll, a tape roll supporting bracket secured to said plate in spaced-apart and parallel relationship with the said first mentioned bracket, a curved guide hinged to said U-shaped bracket, spring means urging the said guide toward the tape roll, and a reverse fold at one end of the said guide.

6. In a tape dispenser, the combination of a supporting plate, a hook at one end of said plate, a transversely extending U-shaped bracket near the other end of said plate, a tape roll, a tape roll supporting bracket extending transversely from said plate and spaced-apart from the said first mentioned bracket, a spring urged and curved tape guide hinged to said U-shaped bracket, a narrow reverse told at one end of the said curved guide, and down wardly extending means secured to the end of said plate remote from its hooked end adapted to hold a mud pan.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,214,161 1/1917 Hettinger et al. 2245 2,366,675 2/1945 Petty 156577 EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner.

DOUGLAS I. DRUMMOND, Examiner. 

1. IN A TAPE DISPENSER, THE COMBINATION OF A SUPPORTING PLATE, A HOOK AT ONE END OF SAID PLATE, A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING U-SHAPED BRACKET NEAR THE OUTER END OF SAID PLATE, A TAPE ROLL, A TAPE ROLL SUPPORTING BRACKET EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY FROM SAID PLATE AND SPACED-APART FROM THE 